Glad or Sad - Good or Bad

While I was studying the Word this morning, I had the thought that there are people out there who only see what they want to see.  With that in mind, I pondered what had happened to Piper and I, as well as a most recent example of the way the mainstream media seems to twist and turn every word that our president speaks and then print it as something negative, while totally ignoring all the positive steps that he and his teams have taken in battling the Corona Virus pandemic raging across our country.

I realized that this type of behavior is perfectly explained in one of Piper’s all-time favorite movies, the 1960 Disney favorite, Pollyanna.  This movie chronicles the antics of a young optimistic and bubbly orphan girl who single-handedly changes the town’s “think the worst of everybody” mentality to one that “looks for the best in everyone.”  A key element to her charge was the “Glad Game” that her missionary father had taught her to always look for things that you were glad about in the midst of needy times.

We had a birthday tradition in our family when the kids were at home, where the celebrant always got to choose their favorite dinner and their favorite movie on the night we recognized their special day.  Unlike most of the rest of us, Piper tended to pick different meals as her favorite for her birthday dinner… but NOT for her movie!  Her choice was almost always Pollyanna!

In many respects, Piper was a lot like the character of Pollyanna.  She had the bubbly personality, the big disarming smile and the joyful countenance about her.  Her gentle, sweet, encouraging and non-combative approach could melt the walls of even the most hard-hearted people that she came into contact with.

I came across some pictures of an event from the first youth group we ministered to back in the 1970’s and it reminded me that throughout our ministry together, Piper was always drawn to the troublemaker boys and the girls that were not quite excepted by the others or to those who were quiet and withdrawn.  I on the other hand tended to be drawn to the leaders in the group as well as to those that I felt had leadership qualities that I could help to develop and or disciple.

Looking back over the 48 years of our relationship, I can see that those patterns in each of us showed forth within our interactions with most people whether they be children, youth, College Career age or adults.  And it also spilled over into my secular jobs and Piper’s extracurricular activities with our homeschool group, friends, neighbors and family members!

The Apostle Paul touched on the subject of how we see things or people, when he discussed the differences between the individuals who are motivated by the human nature verses those who live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. (See: Romans 8:1-11)  He rather bluntly declared:

“Those who are motivated by the flesh only pursue what benefits themselves. But those who live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit are motivated to pursue spiritual realities.  For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set controlled by the Spirit finds life and peace.  In fact, the mind-set focused on the flesh fights God’s plan and refuses to submit to his direction, because it cannot!”  (Romans 8:5-7 The Passion Translation)

I learned the hard way, that as born-again, spirit filled Christians, that we can still have areas in our lives that continue to be motivated by our old human natures.  I believe that each of us have to take the initiative and the time to pray and seek the Lord’s guidance in the potential discovery of such areas in our own lives.  I am NOT talking here about the once popular Inner-Healing teaching, but of simple, humble and heart-felt prayer to the Father that allows Him to make the changes in us as we open up those once closed areas to Him.

These verses demonstrate in plain and vivid detail the exact same things that Piper and I experienced in the early years of her sickness.  And it has helped me to understand that this type of reaction and/or “seeing” of things or people cannot always be helped, but is a natural, instantaneous response to our yielding to the human nature (or flesh).  It doesn’t make it right or okay, but it helps (me anyway) to have a better understanding of why things happened the way they did!

I DO like the part in these verses where Paul explains that “the mind-set controlled by the Spirit finds life and peace.”  For again, that perfectly describes what we experienced during that most difficult and turbulent time in our life together.  Even though it was excruciatingly tough on us, we still found ourselves enveloped in His peace, love, comfort and joy! 

And while some drew inward and gave up, we went on living, moved 3000 miles away to be closer to the majority of our kids, were able to purchase the house of our dreams, saturate ourselves daily in the promises of God, be a blessing to those around us and then escort Piper through the veil of heaven… EXACTLY the way she wanted to go!  (And from what I’ve been reading about heaven, her current surroundings are so spectacular that human words, thoughts and feeling cannot find ways to come close enough to describing its peace, joyfulness and beauty!  Isn’t God Good!)

Have a spectacular weekend.  Give someone an encouraging smile and choose the life that God has given us in His Word to enjoy!